Taking care of your mental health and wellbeing while studying

Maintaining your mental health and wellbeing is crucial throughout all stages of life. With university in particular often being a daunting and stressful time for students, many commonly strain their mental health throughout their degree. In 2017, Headspace conducted a study that found that 70% of student participants rated their mental health from poor to fair. An alarmingly high percentage, this highlights the importance for students to know how they can maintain good mental health and reduce the effects of stress while studying.

With this in mind, I researched this topic a little further and have narrowed the scope to some key tips on how to take care of your mental health:

Take care of your body

Living on a tight student budget can be tough. As a university student, we tend to find ourselves in-taking stimulants such as coffee, energy drinks and unhealthy foods that we believe are necessary to get through the day. However, cutting back on these unhealthy habits and eating a balanced diet can drastically improve how we feel. Exercise is also a great way to cope with stress, anxiety and depression. A simple walk can release the ‘feel good’ hormones you need to boost your mood and get you through the day.

Take time out

With the stress and worry of deadlines often making things harder, it is important to take time out to recharge and clear your mind. Taking the time each day to relax with meditation or mindfulness can do wonders for your mood, relax your mind and relieve any worry or stress that might be consuming you.

Set realistic goals

If stress is impacting you from getting things done, setting small and realistic goals can promote productivity and make you feel good about yourself when you complete them.

Seek help when you need it

One of the most beneficial things you can do is talk to someone and/or seek help from a medical professional to work towards a healthy mind. While it may be hard to do so, voicing your thoughts is a great way to lessen the load that may be gravitating and holding you back.